Wilson Hall is going to get a $24 million makeover and a fancy new name thanks to a wealthy alum

Wilson Hall will have a different look and name in the Fall semester of 2018.

Brown has announced that Wilson Hall will be extensively renovated over the next few years and maintained in future years with the support of a $24 million gift from the Richard A. and Susan P. Friedman Family Foundation.

The building will subsequently be renamed Friedman Hall upon its completion.

Beginning in June 2017, construction will include major updates to the building’s interior.

Renovations include a new floor plan, the addition of seven new classrooms that will accommodate larger classes, and more social spaces—which includes a common area for students.

Photo: Mike Cohea/Brown University

In addition to these renovations, the project has also committed to making the classroom building into a fully-accessible facility.

Wilson Hall is infamously known for being difficult to maneuver through. In ‘Grading the Green‘, a student-conducted study in 2015 which assessed the accessibility of buildings on the Main Green, Wilson Hall the lowest grade of an F.

Currently, Student and Employee Accessibility Services (SEAS) also advises that events not be held in Wilson Hall on its webpage, which explicitely indicates that,

“This building does not have ramps or elevators and is not accessible to people who use wheelchairs or who cannot climb stairs.”

These additions that will help improve accessibility include new entryways that lead to both the Main Green and Simmons Quad and an elevator.

As a result, these well-needed renovations will not only help modernize the building, but will hopefully enhance the overall learning experience here at Brown.

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